Staged Crash at LAHS Drives Home Distracted Driving Dangers

An emotionally charged emergency-response exercise involving a staged crash in which five students were injured and a sixth student died at the scene took place this morning at Los Alamos High School.

The vehicular accident was staged in the faculty parking lot as part of the "Every 15 Minutes" program.

"Every 15 minutes" is a national initiative that uses staged crashes, emergency-response scenarios, and discussion to educate and remind students and adults about the many dangers associated with driving while impaired or texting.

"The single most challenging issue that I've seen facing law ennforcement in my entire career is driving and texting, which is legal and socially acceptable but it will kill more people than guns ...," Los Alamos Polcie Chief Wayne Torpy said at the police station today during an early morning final briefing of the group participating in the "Every 15 Minutes" event.

Students with fake wounds prepare to act like accident victims. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

To add additional realism to the event, Careflight arrived to transport a critically injured student. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com